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THE BYRON SHIRE
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Volume 27 #46 Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
Inside this week
CAB AUDIT
KEEP CALM AS WE DESTROY THE JOINT
That’s a Home births: Great gigs The Yearlings Drudges good to go the early marine come to review – p17–23 books – p21 Mullum – p17 policy? – p14 days – p15
page 16
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 38
Govt rail study leads to road benefits’, ‘fewer people using cars’ and ‘less greenhouse gases’. There is little The long awaited and overdue regional to no reference to those terms within rail study released last week has been the report. met with a hostile reception from rail advocate Karin Kolbe while local state Commitments vary from MP Don Page has distanced himself election to election from previous election promises. The report was a major election The report, entitled Casino to Murwillumbah Transport Study, recom- commitment for local Ballina MP mends that services remain suspend- Don Page, who released a carefully ed and ‘rail assets be maintained to a worded media statement at the time saying, ‘the NSW government is comminimum standard only’. It comes in at 130 pages, cost $2 mitted to providing the right mix of million and is available at http://bit. transport services.’ But back in 2007, all regional Naly/15Lo2Du. The Echo understands that the re- tionals MPs were photographed (see port’s findings have prompted the back page) wearing t-shirts with the state government to shelve any plans words ‘Yes, you can have your trains to re-instate regional rail services back.’ When asked about pre-election which were discontinued by the then commitments to bring trains back in 2007, Mr Page told The Echo, ‘Any Labor state government in 2004. Current transport minister Gladys commitment made prior to the 2007 Berejiklian says her government will election relates to being elected to now consider the findings, ‘as part government in 2007, which didn’t of our work to finalise the Northern happen. Prior to the 2011 election we Rivers Regional Transport Plan which committed to doing the feasibility we expect to be completed this year.’ study, which we have honoured.’ In response, Ms Kolbe said, ‘After But Trains On Our Tracks (TOOT) president Karin Kolbe has called for running hard on the rail question for the report to be scrapped and says it’s so many years, many electors did not a ‘whitewash’. ‘The report relies on old pick up the subtle shift from “you can and irrelevant maintenance and pa- have a train” to “you can have a study”.’ As for questions regarding his astronage figures and costs from 2004 sessment of the report, a commitment to justify a 2013 decision,’ she says. Even at the time the study was an- to light rail, or the lack of environnounced in 2011, Ms Kolbe criticised mental provisions that he called for, its terms of reference, which failed to Mr Page did not respond. Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian, says identify any social or environmental that ‘The study recommends invesbenefits. Mr Page however said last year on tigating improving bus services to ABC radio (June 26, 2012) that he provide more people with frequent, asked his government and minister cost effective public transport to key to ‘broaden the terms of reference of destinations, rather than reinstating the feasibility study to make it beyond the rail line.’ any doubt that the benefits of rail services on the Murwillumbah to Casino Light rail eliminated Astoundingly, light rail transit was line will be properly analysed by the eliminated during preliminary assessproject team.’ These included ‘environmental ment, and instead the study focused Hans Lovejoy
on heavy, or freight, rail. A Transport for NSW spokesperson told The Echo light rail was not explored for a number of reasons. ‘We found light rail would not provide additional benefits to the rail shuttle option and is less effective over longer distances (greater than 20km). ‘A local Byron Bay shuttle was considered; however, we found regular bus services between Sunrise Beach, Byron and Suffolk Park would provide a better and more flexible public transport service.’
Lack of sustainability Despite the spokesperson claiming that ‘All options considered by the study were subject to a sustainability assessment,’ there is only one small
reference to sustainability. Under ‘Rating Against Sustainability’, the report claims returning the XPT extension to Murwillumbah is ‘expected to have a minor positive sustainability impact.’ And for a Casino to Murwillumbah rail shuttle (light rail), it again claimed a ‘very minor shift [is] predicted from car to the more sustainable public transport mode.’ The word ‘sustainability’ only appears three times throughout the document. Similarly, the words ‘climate change’ are absent. And even in its terms of reference on page 100, it claims incorrectly that ‘The study represents a broadening of the previously announced engineering and cost evaluation to include consideration of economic, social and environmental benefits.’
Regardless of the report’s failure to address rail’s environmental benefits, it provides an insight into future growth projections for the region. It claims, ‘Future growth in the region will occur in the Tweed region, extending southwards along the coast to Ballina. Lismore, Tweed and Ballina are the defined long term major regional centres.’ Also, ‘The population of the northern rivers is estimated to grow to around 367,000 in 2031 with an increase in housing units from 129,000 to 161,000 (Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2012). The majority of growth will be experienced in the coastal corridor in the area between Ballina and Byron, and in particular along the Tweed coast and in Tweed Heads.’ Q Editorial page 10
Locals nab Splendour tickets
Chardonne Cooper and Isabella Henning were lucky to score Splendour In The Grass tickets – the locals release – after lining up at the Hotel Great Northern Hotel on Sunday. Chardonne says she can’t wait to see Ms Mr, while Isabella reckons Chet Faker will smash it at the new North Byron Parkland site at Yelgun. Other big names include Frank Ocean and Mumford & Sons. Thursday is the offical release. For more visit www.splendourinthegrass.com. Photo Jeff Dawson
Extreme Mixed Martial Arts Byron Bay turns 1! To celebrate we are giving away 7 days free training to Byron locals and surrounds and all members that join in May a FREE private class (valued at $100) and FREE equipment. (Conditions apply)
Happy Birthday! Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Boxing, MMA, Conditioning, Women’s classes & Kid’s classes.
Bored with the Gym? Try Extreme in May. WWW.BYRONBAYMMA.COM.AU | 02 6685 7001 | 2/19 TASMAN WAY, BYRON BAY <echowebsection=Local News>